Idol Speculation: “Survivor Kaoh Rong” Episode 10: The “Survivor” Holiday Special

Ok, I’m not one to promote “Survivor” conspiracy theories. I won’t go so far as to say that the show is as purely “real” as we’ve been led to believe, but I don’t buy anything about the locations being faked, or the outcome being fixed beyond producer “suggestions”. But I’m putting my foot down here. They knew. THEY KNEW! They had it all figured out, realized this set of challenges would be in a episode that aired April 20th, and made SURE that every challenge involved pots. Well played, “Survivor”.

No, this will not be a blog done in the style of me being “high”. I’ve never been high, nor do I particularly care for this “holiday”. I just can’t resist low-hanging fruit like this. What I DO care about is “Survivor”, so let’s get started!

So we get back to camp, and Joe is rightfully pissed off at being left out, as well as his closest ally Debbie going home, and is therefore thinking about… No, wait, sorry, I was channeling the universe where Joe actually wanted to CONTRIBUTE to the game! No, instead we get Jason, Scot, and Tai gloating over their victory at the previous Tribal Council, which, since they do it by themselves, I really can’t begrudge them that much. What I DO begrudge them, however, is the idea that their “psychological warfare” was their salvation. Guys, the best it did was piss off Debbie, who’s now gone. It was your IDOLS, and the fear thereof, that saved you.

Speaking of idols, Tai takes this time to return Jason’s idol to him, which I’m a bit disappointed about. Not to say that Tai SHOULDN’T have returned that idol to Jason, but in this case, having two idols is very much better than having just one, and unless he asks for it back, you could pull the “There was no need, since it’s the super idol.” gambit.

Oh, and their one disappointment? That it was Debbie, and not Cydney, who went home. Truly, Cydney’s flop on them was a great move! Geez, it really seems to go back and forth whether or not this was a good move for her, doesn’t it? The first week, she was giving up a safe spot. Last week, it seemed like she’d gotten herself in a swing vote position. Now, while she’s still in power, we can see that she’s irredeemably pissed off Scot and Jason, thereby meaning that’s at least two jury votes she’s lost, with the possibility of those two influencing others on the jury. I get that to win “Survivor”, you need to build your resume, but that doesn’t mean that the practice of voting AGAINST the person you don’t like has gone away. It’s still something to consider, and right now, it looks like it may come back for Cydney.

Dawn at Dara, and Tai’s conscience once again rears up. He asks Scot if, now they’ve made it through one Tribal Council they shouldn’t have, if they can ease up on the sabotage. in a surprisingly mature move, Scot agrees, admitting that he doesn’t want to play like Russell Hantz (“Survivor Samoa”). This earns him one iota of respect from me. Scot won’t stop for free, though. Needing a fifth person on his side, he elects to talk to Aubry about wanting her to come with him, couching his tactics as a result of his frustration at providing for the tribe being worth nothing. A very diplomatic play. Aubry returns the diplomacy by being polite back to Scot, but remaining fairly noncommittal. Fortunately, Aubry is a smart cookie, and sees through what’s said on the surface to realize that Scot is effectively engaging in blackmail. Unsurprisingly, this makes Aubry want him and/or Jason gone, but in the short term, all seems well at camp. Certainly there’s no sabotage, so I’d call that a net gain. Some would argue that it would actually be in Aubry’s best interest to KEEP the sabotage going, providing a disincentive to people to join up with them, but I’d argue that, first of all, that damage is already done, and secondly, when the game is more predictable, it’s easier to influence. Eliminating a chaotic element that you yourself are not generating is good in this regard.

On to the reward challenge, which is not interesting in and of itself. It’s the “Balance the Pot on a Log with your Leg” challenge, first seen as a redemption duel on “Survivor Redemption Island”. A decent endurance challenge, but never one of the most exciting. Oh, but THIS time it’s different! Now you have TWO pots stacked instead of ONE! Oh, the humanity! In all seriousness, I’ll admit that this probably does increase the difficulty of the challenge somewhat, but it still doesn’t change the fact that the challenge itself is kind of underwhelming.

Fortunately, what the challenge itself lacks in interest, it gets made up for in the twist with the challenge. Yes, we’ve seen choices of reward on the tribal level before, but, for the first time, we’re getting a reward choice (outside of an auction) in an INDIVIDUAL challenge! What’s more, it’s not a case of “Winner gets their pick.” Oh no, it’s not NEARLY that simple. Before the challenge, every individual picks what they’re playing for (food, letters from home, or an advantage in the game). Then, they compete ONLY to beat the other people who selected the same reward as they did. If I wasn’t being abundantly clear, I LOVE this twist to death. It elevates the game, reveals some Tribal Dynamics, and feels very fitting for “Survivor”. Above all, though, it’s a complex and many-layered twist. Probst himself, in a really good moment tonight, puts it the most clearly, pointing out that in choosing what reward to pick, you have to balance what you need versus what you think other people will want versus who you think you can beat. It’s not an easy decision for anybody, and that’s what’s great.

Well, I say it’s not an easy decision for anybody, but that’s not true. It’s an easy decision for Scot and Jason. Contrary to what they keep insisting on, Scot and Jason are still in trouble, and need to compete for the advantage, so naturally… No, wait, that’s what they’d do if they were SMART! No, instead they opt to compete for the food against Michele. It’s a battle between Julia and Joe for the letter from home, leaving Aubry, Cydney, and Tai to compete for the advantage. Clearly, this shows us who has their head in the game.

Unsurprisingly, since she’s up against Joe, Julia wins her letters from home. The other two are a bit more of a contest, though Michele ends up pulling victory fairly quickly from Scot and Jason. I would say I’m surprised, but history has shown us that endurance challenges tend to favor women, so it’s not too big of a deal. The real war, though, is the fight for the advantage, which unsurprisingly takes the longest. Cydney ends up dropping out first, leading to a sweet duel between Aubry and Tai. Evidently realizing the “Seeing how long I can go” tactic worked for Tai two episodes ago, Aubry tries to utilize it herself. Unfortunately, Buddha favors Tai, and so he summons a gust of wind to undo Aubry, leading Tai to win reward, and for Scot to comment on how good it is for his alliance that that happened, and how they’re now unstoppable.

Goodbye, Scot, we knew too much of ye!

After a bit of well-deserved bragging from Michele about beating the two burly guys, we get to see what Tai’s advantage is. Sadly, unlike the twist at the reward challenge, it’s not innovative and new, but instead the “extra vote” twist won by Dan Foley on “Survivor Worlds Apart”. I feel pretty much the same about it now as I did then: not a terrible idea, but too easy to overcome, so not as exciting. Still, perhaps it’ll actually make a DIFFERENCE this time around.

Oh, and we also get Julia gushing over her letters from home. It’s nice in and of itself, but then she has to use to talk about how badass and tough she is, which, given what we’ve seen, is really not the truth here. Perhaps I’m being harsh here. After all, it’s important to remember that on “Survivor”, everyone is the protagonist of their own story. In Julia’s mind, she really HAS been a major driving force this season. We, as the audience, see something different. As it stands, though, to us it comes across as a little bit flat and forced. The bits that are purely emotional are sweet, though.

Not to say, of course, that Julia doesn’t TRY and earn that badass title she thinks she has. Walking with Michele and Aubry, she admits that she’s worried about idols, and wants them gone. As a result, she comes up with a plan pile all the votes on Tai, figuring that either he’ll go out with an idol in his pocket, or he’ll play it, Cydney will go, and they’ll still be in power. Actually a pretty good plan. It flushes the idol, keeps Julia’s potential flip allies in check, and it has plusses for Michele and Aubry, making them more likely to go along with it. Why would Michele and Aubry be inclined to go for Tai over Jason and Scot? Well, it’s a bit of a stretch, but they don’t know how the super idol works, and they didn’t SEE Tai give Jason back his half, so theoretically he’s the only one they know has an idol, making him an ideal target. Michele buys the whole thing hook, line, and sinker, and even Aubry admits that it’s definitely a good plan on Julia’s part. Aubry isn’t fully on board, though, mostly owing to still being on the Anti-Julia warpath. Watch out Aubry! You’re getting dangerously close to Stephen Fishbach’s “Joe Vote” level of determination from “Survivor Cambodia”!

So, if she’s really Anti-Julia, what’s Aubry to do? Join up with Scot, Jason, and Tai? Of course not! She’d move from a position of much power to a position of no power, and would still have to work with Julia in any case. No, Aubry instead tries to flip the script entirely, by buddying up with Tai. In a smart move, compared to Scot and Jason’s strongarming, Aubry is very low key, philosophizing about the game with Tai, and throwing out the offer that she’s a free agent who’s willing to work with him. What she means is that she wants Tai on her side, but Tai reads it as her volunteering to work with himself, Jason, and Scot. Intrigued, and friendly with Aubry, Tai goes to Jason and Scot, and proposes the idea of Aubry working with them. Scot responds by suggesting they vote Aubry out. What great people skills this pair has!

Actually, like with Julia, this is another area where I can’t actually give these two a hard time. Not to say that the way they phrased things to Tai was a good move, but there was a cut between Tai’s comment and Scot’s response, implying that there might have been other conversation between the two that may have been politer. Unlike, say, Nick’s conversation with Michele in episode 6, which was one clear, solid take of him disrespecting her, this may be a case of manipulative editing. Plus, to be fair, the move makes sense. Targeting Cydney is a pure revenge move, they’ve admitted that. Aubry, however, is emerging more and more as the real brains behind the majority alliance, and, as we’ve seen this episode, a bit of a challenge threat. She’s the smart person to target at this point. Plus, as they’ve noted, they’ve been so vocal about targeting Cydney that the opposition would never see it coming. Good logic, all around! Just maybe don’t be so unilateral about it.

Sure enough, Tai is upset about Scot and Jason not including him in their decisions so much, and debates leaving. While I get that it’s upsetting for Tai, at this point, the smart move is for him to stick with Scot and Jason. He’s pretty much guaranteed a final 3 spot against two guys who don’t look the best in front of a jury, and there’s the benefit of the super idol. Note, however, that I say his best move is to stay with Scot and Jason FOR NOW. That will change.

It’s time for the immunity challenge. They wanted to do the “Hold bars vertically against a plank.” challenge from “Survivor Gabon”, but realizing it wouldn’t fit with the holiday theme, they turned it 90 degrees and made it so that you were holding disks with pots attached to them instead. Not a bad twist, and more original that most of the challenges we’ve been seeing post-merge. Still, I feel like we can do better.

For all the lack of originality, DAMN if this isn’t a fun challenge. Unlike a lot of other endurance challenges we’ve had this season, we get a lot of good reactions and facial expressions this time around. I think there are two stand-outs, though, even amongst this cast. The first is Tai’s look when his left hand starts slipping. His head just SNAPS to the left, as if he’s saying “What are you doing? Stop that!” like some sort of drill sergeant. It’s pretty hilarious. Also, for whatever reason, this is one endurance challenge that Tai doesn’t do well at. Odd. The other great moment has to be when we get down to our final two combatants. Good versus evil. One alliance versus another. Aubry versus Jason. Jason, uncultured as he is, spits. This would be disgusting, but then Aubry decides to return the favor. Not to say that the “disgusting” factor goes away, but it is hilarious to see petit, likable Aubry copy move for move the behavior of a ruffian like Jason.

Sadly, good does not always win on “Survivor”, and despite seeming strong for most of the challenge, Aubry falls, leaving Jason to have his victory. Hearty congratulations are in order for the both of them, though in Aubry’s case they’re tinged with “Oh, sorry, you’re going home!”

With everything seemingly set in place, Julia comes over to inform the guys of the plan to vote for Tai. She encourages them to use the super idol on Tai, thereby transparently showing how what she really wants is the idol gone, but her two new allies still in the game. Ok, I think people have been a little harsh about how un-subtle Julia is, but this is one time where I will agree with the consensus. It’s so clear what Julia’s trying to do here, it’s not even funny. Scot and Jason agree with her plan, and give her assurances that, since they can’t beat Tai in the end, that as long as she complies with them, she’s final three.

And this, my friends, is the moment where it becomes the right move for Tai to flip. Super-idol aside, the main advantage of Tai sticking with Scot and Jason was a guaranteed final three spot, and therefore a likely win. With that option now off the table, even if it’s unlikely that Aubry and Cydney’s alliance will let him near the end either, the odds are still better with them, especially since he’ll have a lot more decision making power there than with Scot and Jason. Granted, having the possibility of a super-idol still makes them a semi-appealing prospect, but between his own idol and his advantage, Tai can probably make it at least a vote or two past when the other alliance would vote for him.

Aubry and Cydney talk it over, and decide Scot and Jason need to be split up. Naturally, this means switching the vote to Scot, since Jason has immunity. Plus, Scot annoys them. The tricky part is getting the votes. Julia can’t be trusted, and right now Michele’s with her, so they’re out. Joe can probably be persuaded to vote for Scot, but that’s still only three. Ergo, Aubry gets to work on Tai, trying to persuade him to vote for Scot. It’s worth noting the stark difference in how Aubry handles Tai to how Scot and Jason handle Tai. Aubry never actually throws a name out, instead simply telling Tai that he can make a move and he has three other people behind him. This gives Tai at least the feeling of agency (given how the vote ultimately goes for Scot, I’m guessing that the pair later came together and agreed on that target), and comes across well socially to him. Compare this to Scot and Jason basically telling him how to vote. It may not be the smart move from Tai’s perspective, since as far as we know he doesn’t know about Julia being promised final three, but it’s easy to see why it’s an appealing prospect for Tai.

Before we leave for Tribal Council, though, let us take a minute to note that, since he’s immune, Jason gives Scot his hidden immunity idol for safekeeping. Remember this. It will be the icing on the cake later.

Even though the editing dictates that Scot will go home, logic dictates that Aubry’s number is up. That’s a large part of why this episode is awesome, and also a large part of why this Tribal Council is awesome! Seriously, this may very well be the best Tribal Council of the season. Everyone is on point with their comments. From Michele talking about how balsy Jason and Scot’s idol move is, to Julia talking about shifting dynamics, to Aubry’s “deranged llama” comment with regards to the immunity challenge, this one was a blast. Oh but don’t think there weren’t good moments of strategy insight either. Aubry, when asked about what she thinks Jason and Scot are doing, says she’s run up against a wall with them, and can’t know what they’re doing. Scot jumps in here, pointing out that they offered her a chance to be in on the plan, and she was noncommittal. Yet another demonstration of the way Scot and Jason play, since Jason then backs him up. they bully and strong-arm people who dare go against them. And it doesn’t sit well with Tai. You can tell by the look on his face during the whole thing.

Ah, but perhaps the most telling comment of the night comes to us courtesy of Jason. Further elaborating on the “Aubry should have gone with us.” tack, he talks about how the momentum of the game has shifted, and you either need to jump on his train or get left behind. Actually, a pretty good metaphor in this case. Narrative and momentum are both important on “Survivor”, and at this point, individual survival is key. You want to win, but at the very least, you want to make it as far as possible. This means going with the flow. However, that flow might lead to someone else’s victory. In this case, Jason is setting up a narrative of “Go with us or perish.”, a narrative that could very easily get him to the end.

So what do you do? You change the narrative. And that’s exactly what Aubry has done tonight. If she hasn’t cemented her place in with the “Survivor” greats by now, this episode should do it. Rather than try to figure out a way around the Jason, Scot, and Tai threesome like everybody else, Aubry decided to flip the script entirely, take a known from their side, and convert him. It’s brilliant, masterful gameplay, and it makes me love Aubry all the more.

And it works! Yes, I haven’t been too subtle about it, but Scot gets voted for by Tai, and then Tai refuses him the super idol. Actually, props to the editing team on that one; they really upped the tension here of whether or not Tai would use his idol for Scot. Incidentally, I’ve been a fair-weather fan of the super idl, but I’d say this episode made it worth it. The drama from that one moment alone was worth the possibility of a super idol getting played at some point. Scot goes home and I am not sorry at all! While he had a few tender moments, Scot was by and large a bully whom I didn’t like watching, and we’d already seen what we needed from his character. Plus, after his treatment of Tai this episode, his eviction felt deserved.

Just to be abundantly clear, this was an EXCELLENT move on all parts. As I said, Tai has more agency with this new alliance, and as Scot and Jason had kicked him out of the finals anyway, most incentives to stay with them are gone. As for Aubry, Cydney, and Joe, they gain another potential ally, save a founding member from elimination, and regain power over the vote. All around, a gain for them, but especially Aubry. And, to top it all off, the hidden immunity idol is now gone! Scot never played it, and had to take it out of the game with him, eliminating another major threat to their alliance. They can’t have planned it that way, but it’s still a plus! It just occurred to me: that means that Jason winning immunity was arguably the BETTER outcome than Aubry winning immunity. Had Aubry won, I doubt Jason would have given his idol to Scot, and unless the vote would have gone for Jason instead, the idol would still be in the game, making things harder for the alliance. So, excellent loss, Aubry!

In case it wasn’t obvious, this was a FANTASTIC episode! Lots of funny character moments, good misdirection, and excellent strategy from all corners! And what better way to end off a fantastic episode than with another…

TOP 5 AND BOTTOM 5

Yes, I think we’re well past due for another one of these. Tonight’s topic is a bit hard to put into words. The best way I can describe it is as a list of “persuasive arguments”. Rarely is flipping by itself just a case of numbers. There needs to be some passionate reason behind it, like tonight with Aubry convincing Tai to vote out Scot. They’re a staple of “Survivor”, and we’re going to be counting down the best and the worst of them. There are two limitations here. One, to make the “Top 5” the argument has to have actually worked, and actually flipped somebody. Anything goes on “Bottom 5”, but something can only really bet “Top 5” material if it works. Two, only one argument per season. With all that said, let’s get started with…

TOP 5

5. Aubry’s Social Prowess (“Survivor Kaoh Rong”): Yes, let’s get the obvious choice for the list out of the way early. As I said earlier, Aubry’s persuasion of Tai was masterfully done, well deserving of a spot on this list. As I also said, though, it deprives us of any really stand-out quote or moment where she really got to Tai. In terms of gameplay, the perfect move, since what Tai seemed to want was autonomy in the alliance. In terms of viewership, however, the lack of one stand-out moment in this persuasion makes it pale in comparison to the other ones on this list. Still, well executed, and hardly a bad move at all.

4. Yul’s Super-Idol (“Survivor Cook Islands”): Ah, the moment that made “Survivor Cook Islands” what it was. If you remember anything from “Survivor Cook Islands”, except for the racial divide and the mutiny, it’s this moment here. The Aitu 4 were down in numbers come the merge, and things looked pretty bad. Fortunately, Yul Kwon was there to save him with his super-idol, as this was back int he day when ALL hidden immunity idols were super idols. Revealing it to Jonathan Penner, Yul effectively threatened Penner with eviction if he didn’t flip back over to join Aitu. Granted, that move was kind of a gimme which didn’t take much effort on Yul’s part, hence why it’s not higher on the list. What it lacks in effort, though, it makes up for in style. This is where Yul’s reputation as a “Survivor” “Godfather” got cemented, and the fact that it remains in the minds of the fans to this day makes it worthy of this list.

3. “If you could get rid of anyone, who would it be?” (“Survivor Cagayan”): Trish Hegarty is not really remembered amongst the players of “Survivor Cagayan”, and not unfairly so. Not to say that Trish was bad, just that she wasn’t as much of a character, and wasn’t really a strategic driving force overall, hence the focus on other characters. Still, she is not to be ignored entirely, and this one vote is her shining moment. With the new Solana alliance having lost Sarah to the new Appari alliance, it looked pretty bad for them as a whole. Then, however, Trish noticed that Sarah and Kass were not getting along very well. This led to her striking up a conversation with Kass in which she got Kass to admit that she’d like to see Sarah go. From there, Trish made a real 11th-hour play to switch the vote to Sarah, a move that ultimately saved her alliance and changed the course of the game, arguably even making Kass act against her own self-interest. It combines the prowess of Aubry’s move the memorableness of Yul’s move. Excellent work, Trish.

2. “Ace wants the idol.” (“Survivor Gabon”): No, I am NOT getting over my love for “Survivor Gabon”! My “Gaboner”, if you will. Granted, I will concede that the season starts out slow, and the first five or six episodes are nothing to write home about. But that back half, though! It’s got some amazing confessionals and strategy, and it all starts here, with Ken Hoang turning Sugar against her closest ally. With his allies turing on him, and Fang continually losing, Ken was in a bit of a spot here, quickly losing power on his tribe. What’s the solution? Why, turn the closest ally of your enemy, of course! Knowing that Sugar had the idol, Ken planted the thought in her head that Ace would ask her for the idol, since he was plotting against her. This was a bold-faced lie, but it was well-executed, and made all the more believable when Ace actually DID ask Sugar for the idol. Frankly, this move is reminiscent of Gollum’s actions in the movie version of “The Return of the King”, and that’s what makes in hilarious. That, and the mastery of this little guy turning the closest ally of his biggest enemy. Bravo, good sir!

1. “What’s your story?” (“Survivor Philippines”): I commented on it then, so it feels only right that I comment on it now. We once again get Jonathan Penner on the list, though this time in his third outing on the show. Penner, as seems to be the case with him, was down in numbers at the merge, and desperately trying to flip someone to his side. Since they both worked in show business, he opted to target Lisa Welchel. Not a bad idea in general, but it’s Penner’s brand of argument that seals the deal here. Rather than come at her from a numbers or a personality perspective, Penner takes the unique perspective of asking her how she wants the narrative of the game to unfold. Ok, maybe it’s a stretch to say that this mode of talking is UNIQUE to him, but at the time, it was the first of that type of argument that we’d seen, and it was fascinating to watch. A new take on strategy that is memorable and plays with the notions of the game? How could that not be number one?

Honorable Mention: “Jon is just, like, a girll!” (“Survivor Pearl Islands”): By my own rules, I can’t put this one on the list, since it didn’t work out as a flip. However, Sandra’s line here to Darrah about the physical prowess of Jonny Fairplay was too hilarious to not give a mention to. A very unique argument, to say the least!

BOTTOM 5

5. “The guys are sexist.” (“Survivor San Juan del Sur”): A bit of a cheat here, since morally speaking this is a perfectly legitimate reason to flip on one’s alliance. However, this list is largely about strategy, and guys being dicks to you is not enough to merit a flip back, Jaclyn. Granted, it could be argued that this was still a good move regardless, but the reasons behind it seem so lackluster on this season, that I can’t help but think badly of it. But oh, compared to what we’re GOING to be seeing on this list, it’s positively Vulcan!

4. Coach Taunts Sierra (“Survivor Tocantins”): If you want a textbook example of how NOT to persuade people to join your side, look no further than how Benjamin “Coach” Wade handles Sierra. After it was made clear that the old Jalapao were sticking together, Coach began to have second thoughts about going with them to the end. Naturally, this meant getting Sierra, someone he’d pretty much openly despised, on board with him. Sierra, a little bitter, asked that Coach admit how he’d treated her. Coach, rather than smartly aquiess to her demand, instead insisted that he’d done no such thing, and taunted her for it. To no one’s surprise, the old Timbira did not stick together for this vote. Yep, nothing more to say here except that this one was pretty bad.

3. “You take care of her, I’ll take care of you.” (“Survivor All-Stars”): Frankly, I’m still baffled this one worked. Sheer stupidity on the part of Lex Van Den Berghe earns this one a spot on this list. Lex had been working so damn hard to get his alliance at least half the tribe come the merge, and now he had a member of the enemy right in his hand. And he didn’t take the shot! Boston Rob’s supposed “favor” never came to pass, and Lex was rewarded as stupidity deserves. It was memorable, but only because of its ludicrousness.

2. Tyson Votes Himself Out (“Survivor Heroes vs. Villains”): Speaking of stupid moves, lets see a guy flip for literally NO REASON! Russell Hantz got into the head of Tyson Apostol that he could curry favor and power by changing his vote to Parvati, thereby undoing the split vote Boston Rob had planned out. Some creative idol play, and Tyson has effectively voted himself out! The manner in which Russell did it is unmemorable, hence why it doesn’t quite land on the top of this list, but stupidity of this caliber deserves at least some acknowledgement.

1. “12 Worry-Free Days” (“Survivor Exile Island”): I don’t really blame Terry Deitz for this one. Guy was trying to make the best of a bad situation, and didn’t have a whole lot of cards to play. But even considering that, this attempt at getting some of the old Casaya to flip was just a pathetic attempt. I can’t put it any better than Cirie did, so I’’ll just let her speak: “What does he have to offer me?”

Honorable Mention: “Please take this risk.” (“Survivor Vanuatu”): Probably one of the most memorable flips of “Survivor”, but also one of the least exciting in terms of argument. After being given the idea to flip Eliza by Twila and Scout, Chris went to go recruit her. No small feat, since Eliza didn’t like either Twila or Scout, and certainly the move is impressive in terms of results. But I don’t know, there’s just something lame about your signature line being “Please, take this risk.” Just doesn’t stand out as much as some others. What it does speak to is Chris’ social prowess, and for that alone, I can’t put this one on the list proper.

Well, there you have it. Great episode, great list, great blog (I hope)! This season has been excellent so far, and it shows no signs of slowing.

-Matt

Title Credit to Jean Storrs.

Idol Speculation: “Survivor Cambodia” Episode 4: You’re A Firework

Going into this new episode of “Survivor”, the big question on most people’s minds is “Will Angkor lose horribly?” The answer, however, is not as obvious as one might think. Then again, for a tribe with Jeff Varner on it, few things are obvious.

Speaking of Jeff, he brings us back into tonight’s episode. After his outburst after the previous immunity challenge, Jeff knows he narrowly dodged a bullet at the last Tribal Council. He attempts to make amends by swearing up and down that he’s loyal and Angkor strong and all of those sweet nothings you whisper in that situation. Give Jeff credit: if there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s making total B.S. sound completely sincere. The tribe seems to buy it, but in confessional, Jeff says what everyone watching knew he was thinking: that he hates these people, wants nothing to do with them, and would rather see them out to further his own game. True, he did vote with the majority at this past Tribal Council, but bear in mind, that puts only Woo in the minority, and on a tribe this desperate for challenge wins, Woo is a much more valuable commodity than Jeff. The man needs a miracle.

Or else he needs to be on a tribe with Abi-Maria. Which, of course, he is. The drama, such as it is, starts when Tasha pulls Woo aside to talk, apologizing for the blindside and trying to get the pair to move forward with the group. Actually, not a bad strategy. Apart from helping keep the physical strength of your tribe happy, it gains you an easily manipulated ally. Don’t get me wrong, I quite like Woo. He’s a charming, goofy kid, and a lot of fun to watch. Facing the facts, though, Woo is not exactly a great player of “Survivor”. The kid can be let along by pretty much anyone with a brain. He’s kind of like Rupert from “Survivor Pearl Islands” in that way. I would never call either of them a good player of “Survivor”, but they seem like really nice people, and are a TON of fun to watch.

Sorry, sorry, got off-track with my Rupert-fanboying there. He’ll be the next Kass before you know it. The drama I was hinting towards come, to no one’s surprise, from Abi-Maria. She’s annoyed that her alliance-mates are talking with the person who just cast a vote her way. Admittedly, I have a lot more sympathy for Abi-Maria in this case, partly because she actually manages not to go as overboard or melodramatic as she has at past betrayals (see, she IS learning), but mainly because she’s actually somewhat justified in this case. Your supposed allies talking to the person perceived as your sworn enemy is grounds for mistrust and frustration. Note, however, that I say that she’s only SOMEWHAT justified. While being mistrustful of your allies is one thing, staying loyal only as long as they only talk to certain people is just an unrealistic expectation of the game. Plus, since I think 75% of the cast is Abi-Maria’s sworn enemy, that doesn’t give people a whole lot of wiggle-room.

What’s this? A tribe OTHER than Angkor actually has something interesting to say, strategy-wise? Surely you jest! But no, in fact, things are on the move at Bayon. Specifically, those things are Jeremy and Stephen. After the required interview in which Jeremy gushes about his new hidden immunity idol, Jeremy chats with Stephen by the water well, doing a very convincing job of acting like the idol hasn’t been found yet. Certainly Stephen laps it up hook, line, and sinker, and both sprint off in separate directions, searching the trees. Have to admit, this is a pretty slick move by Jeremy. It simultaneously hides his idol, while also building team unity that makes it less likely that he’ll have to use it. Jeremy admits in confessional that, contrary to the will of Savage, Jeremy quite likes Stephen, in a J.T. sort of way. In fact, Jeremy would like to be the NEW J.T. for Stephen, complete with Stephen getting so harangued at the Final Tribal Council that Jeremy wins in a landslide. Not a bad plan, and I think Jeremy’s got the skill to pull it off, but I see a couple of problems here. The first is that, despite what the editing of this season seems to indicate, Stephen is not a moron. Do you really think he’d make the same mistakes as last time? And second, Jeremy, make sure you’re channeling “Survivor Tocantins” J.T., and not “Survivor Heroes vs. Villains” J.T. The former is considered one of the best winners of all time, the latter is considered to have made one of the dumbest moves of all time.

But enough about that, I want to know if camp life at Angkor still sucks? It does! Great! Moving on.

And so we come to today’s reward challenge, for a varying amount of barbecue supplies. One tribe member will race out into the water to collect a sandbag, then bring it back to shore, using a plank and fulcrum, said tribe member will then attempt to launch said bag onto a net above. The first two tribes to get three bags on the net win. An interesting thing to me about this challenge is that, as has been widely publicized, this season is reusing challenges from past seasons. In an effort to fit in with the “Second Chances” theme, the crew has been particularly using challenges played by past contestants who got on this season. The trouble with this plan is that “Survivor” challenges are elaborate, meaning the early ones need to be constructed well before the season begins, and in this case before the season was even cast, due to the short time span between the cast reveal and the start of filming. This means that the producers had to guess who would make it on, and pick challenges accordingly. This particular challenge hails from “Survivor Africa”, the season of the regrettably-not-picked Teresa “T-Bird” Cooper. This says to me that the producers thought T-Bird was going to make it (a sentiment I share), but got blindsided by the viewing audience. Or, since the immunity challenge does not hail from a season ANYONE in the potential contestant pool was on, perhaps I’m just coming up with conspiracy theories.

Another interesting thing you may have noted about this challenge is that, despite being a tribal challenge, only one person plays. This is something new that “Survivor” is trying out, a so-called “Hero Challenge”, where only one person competes. An interesting concept, and on the whole, I’m for it. It makes for a big change, some nice drama with the “Hero or Goat” role, and frankly, it’s not all that different from a lot of team challenges. After all, a lot of times the outcome of a challenge DOES rest on one person. The only part that gives me pause is that the tribal challenges are generally grander in scale than individual challenges, generally making them more exciting than individual challenges. Basically, what we have here is sacrificing a tribal challenge for an individual challenge. That’s ok in moderation, but I fear losing too many tribal challenges. Still, a pretty good twist. To add some more wild conspiracy theories to the mix, I think this challenge might have been thrown in to give Angkor a fair fight. The producers must have realized that the conditions at Angkor weakened the tribe as a whole, and that in group challenges, where your weakest links are the factor, they’d lose. While the camp conditions hardly make a fair fight, putting up the strongest from each tribe eliminates the weak-link problem, making the challenge SLIGHTLY fairer.

Every tribe makes a logical choice here. Angkor puts up Savage, Bayon Jeremy, and Ta Keo Terry. About the only choice I have any doubts about is Terry. Not so much because Terry is bad, since he does have that whole “5 Immunity Challenge” streak thing under his belt, but because you’ve got St. Joe on your tribe, who’s good at everything. I mean, Terry’s good, but by his own admission, he’s not as young as he used to be. Why not put St. Joe, who’s in his prime, up there? Can’t knock the choice overall, though. Terry is hardly a BAD choice, just maybe not the optimal one.

Perhaps Ta Keo didn’t put St. Joe up to make everything a fair fight. Out of the gate, pretty much everyone’s even in terms of the running. Savage is a bit behind, as one would expect, due to life at Angkor sucking like a Hoover, but he still keeps running fairly well. Heck, he even comes back. It quickly becomes clear that what will decide this challenge is not strength, but how well one can remember the proper plank configuration and power in order to get their bag in the net. Here’s where Savage really shines. He’s definitely more cerebral than Terry, and arguably more cerebral than Jeremy. Of the three, I’d argue that he’s the most well-rounded, and he shows this when, after taking three tries to net his first bag, he nails the next two in one shot, winning first place for Angkor. I will give Savage his due: the man is a BEAST in hopeless situations. If you ever need someone to pull you out from the bottom, Savage is your man. And the editors know it, and they milk every minute of it. Go back, listen to the music during the challenge, and tell me that they don’t give Savage the dramatic hero music, and make him look like the biggest badass the world has ever seen. Bit of hyperbole, but the man really deserves it in this situation. Good on you, Savage! Oh, and Terry manages to take second place after leading most of the challenge, so that’s good, I guess.

Since Angkor is still most likely going back to Tribal Council, this makes they by far the most interesting tribe, let’s cut back to them and see what they’re doing after the challenge. Ah, I see they’re enjoying their well-earned spoils and bragging about how much better off they are. Deservedly so, but not very interesting. Is anything happening at Bayon? No? All right, Ta Keo, there must be something interesting happening at Ta Keo. And there is. Character development.

Yes, it is time once again to talk about Kass. STOP! ACTUALLY READ THIS PARAGRAPH! I know I’m a Kass fan who’s gushed on and on about her little scenes that don’t really matter, but I think I’m justified this time, since she IS the center of what happens at Ta Keo this episode. We once again get a confessional with Kass talking about how she has to change up her game from her last stint, since she says that those who don’t learn from their mistakes cannot win this game. See also, Hantz, Russell (“Survivor Samoa”). But Kass is absolutely right, in my opinion. Luck is a part of “Survivor”, but very rarely is it ENTIRELY luck that someone gets voted out, though it does happen (see the fate of Michelle Yi on “Survivor Fiji” for an example). Therefore, if you don’t want the same outcome as last time, you need to change up your game. Hell, this season proves that point. Everyone voted out so far has, in some form, repeated the mistakes of the past. Vytas was too obviously threatening, Shirin played too hard too fast (even though this wasn’t what got her voted out, everyone from that season says that’s how she was, so I count it), and Peih-Gee couldn’t resist fighting with her tribe mates. You need to change up your game if you want to win, and you didn’t the last time. Even if you DID win, you should probably change up your game, since people can see it coming.

But getting back to Kass. Kass’ weakness last time, by her own admission, was not playing a social game. To that end, she very publicly read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” preseason, and has taken advice from it. Sincere gestures are a part of that, and to that end, she’s taking the tribe supplies and making a bracelet for someone on the tribe. All this while talking about how everyone perceived her as untrustworthy going in, and an obvious first boot. Chaos Kass wouldn’t be doing this. Oh, and you can see how desperate they are to use the “Chaos Kass” hashtag when they bring it up in a context where it really isn’t that relevant.

Oh, but what was that about people having a preconceived notion of Kass? Well, Kelley happens to be one of those people. Kass has been doing her work before the tribe awakes, but not too much before. Kelley happens to wake up, and sees Kass doing her work. This sends Kelley, in confessional, on a rant about how untrustworthy Kass is, and how she’s clearly making a fake idol. Admittedly, not an unreasonable conclusion, given how similar the activities are. Things get worse when Kelley walks up to Kass on the beach while she’s working, only for Kass to shoo her away, thus reinforcing the “fake idol” theory. Things are looking bad for Kass. Even when she TRIES to be nice, it still comes off as manipulative. But who was Kass making that bracelet for? Why, Kelley, of course! It’s a late birthday present. Kelley gushes over the thing way more than I would expect, and admits she thought Kass had been making a fake idol. Not sure Kass is in the clear on this one, though. While she’s giving it her all to not make the same mistakes as last time, the fact that people jump to that conclusion is a problem, and we never see Kelley definitively say that she’s forgiven Kass, or is no longer suspicious of Kass. To give Kass her due, though, she is trying.

Ah, and with that respite, Bayon actually has some interesting events going on. It’s time for the great debates. The Challenge Beast vs. The Vulcan. Kelly vs. Spencer. Well, I say “debates”, but it’s really one-sided. Jeremy and Stephen, who are all buddy-buddy with Spencer now, ask him what his relationship is with Kelly. Spencer says that she’s in the pockets of Terry, Woo, and Jeff, and not on his side. Spencer expresses remorse at throwing Kelly under the bus (perhaps his attempt to get emotions is working), but I would point out that Spencer is technically telling the truth here, and it’s in his best interests. Kelly has no loyalty to him, and he no loyalty to Kelly, so why bother trying to save her. Spencer may be going a bit overboard with the play, though. He even tries to convince the Bayon water well that Kelly needs to go. Some lady named Monica CLAIMS to be there, and not trust Spencer, but we all know there’s no one named Monica on this season, and CERTAINLY no one who would have been better if replaced with T-Bird.

And now we have our Immunity Challenge. As I stated previously, this one hails from no season that anyone on this season participated in. This is the “Send Blindfolded People out to Retrieve Puzzle Pieces to Make a Cube” challenge. The cube puzzle itself first aired on “Survivor Thailand”, but this particular iteration comes to us from “Survivor All-Stars”. And man, is this a great challenge. It’s got both physical and mental components, and makes for some fun chaos. But the best part is, of course, the falls. I know I really shouldn’t be taking joy in the potential serious injury of others, but it’s like watching one of those goofy physical game shows. You know it’s probably dangerous, but it’s just so mesmerizing, you just can’t look away.

Jeff, Kimmi, and Kass are all selected as the callers, which seem like wise choices at first. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Kass has a problem. Jeff has a huge diaphragm to project from, and Kimmi is just loud in general, but Kass is actually fairly soft-spoken. She’s having a hard time time making herself heard over these two loud people, as evidenced by Terry’s just wandering around lost, and Keith repeating “I can’t hear.” over and over again. By the way, I get that this is supposed to be the new equivalent of Rudy Boesch’s “I don’t know.” bit on “Survivor Borneo”, but no. Just no. It doesn’t work. There can only be one. In Kass’ slight defense, she was in a bit of a spot. You need your most physical players to carry the pieces, but you need your cerebral players, like Kass, to solve the puzzles. Kass needed to be in this challenge, but couldn’t really do the lifting of the piece. Therefore, caller it is, and she’s simply outclassed by the lung capacity of the “Survivor the Australian Outback” players.

Fortunately for Kass, she’s on a tribe with St. Joe, who seems to be able to see through his blindfold. He not only seemingly gets to the pieces by himself, but also brings them back by himself. Why did he not run the “Hero Challenge” again? Guess he was saving his strength, as he puts Ta Keo back in the lead in what is a back-and-forth challenge. I’ll be going into my problem with this challenge in just a minute, but to give it it’s due, it’s quite tense. Not only does the lead shift back and forth throughout the course of the challenge, but we’ve also got some ambiguity over who’s most likely to go to Tribal Council. True, we haven’t heard much from Ta Keo, so they’re probably safe, but both Bayon and Angkor have given us strategy talk. Either one of them could be the winner, and that makes this challenge heart-pounding.

Now for my problem with the challenge: I don’t like the editing When they’ve done this challenge previously, they’ve shown us highlights in a linear fashion. Pretty understandable. It spaces out the action, and this is an easy challenge in terms of showing who’s ahead and who’s behind. Doing montages would just confuse us. But that’s exactly what they do. The montages make the challenge hard to follow, and put nearly all of the “People colliding with other people” action in one spot, which just ruins a lot. Also, the collisions felt a bit lackluster this time around, but due to the injury potential, perhaps that’s for the best.

Oh, and that tension I mentioned? It stays for most of the challenge, but it kind of peters out towards the end. Everybody gets to the puzzle, but Bayon pulls ahead and wins outright. Since we pretty much know Ta Keo doesn’t win the challenge, this seems to make everything straightforward. We get shots of Angkor just being burned out on the puzzle, and you know it’s over. Ta Keo, once again, takes second place, and Angkor, once again, goes to Tribal Council.

After the challenge, there’s no beating around the bush. Jeff is in trouble and he knows it. Fortunately, he also knows that he’s on a tribe with Abi-Maria, who is very emotional, and who is much madder at Woo than she is at him. That could save him. First, though, Woo has an original idea: AN IDEA! Isn’t that great, folks? Let’s give him a big hand! No, Woo starts questioning why the old Ta Keo, who had the advantage on Angkor, is letting Tasha and Savage, the technically minority, run things. This… is actually a good point. I would not have believed it of Woo. It’s true, Tasha and Savage are big threats who are unlikely to take any of you too far, so why not get rid of them and keep yourselves safe? Woo pitches this idea to Abi-Maria, and here’s where we see the flaw in Woo’s otherwise brilliant plan: HE’S the one offering Abi-Maria this deal. Dude, do you not realize your name is mud with Abi-Maria right now? Let Jeff offer her the plan, she’ll listen to him.

True to form, Abi-Maria does not listen to Woo, and goes to tell Tasha and Savage that she just wants Woo gone for his disloyalty. Tasha talks sense to Abi-Maria, pointing out how much bigger of a threat Jeff is, and how he wasn’t really loyal to the tribe. Tasha forgets that she’s talking to Abi-Maria, who doesn’t play with Earth logic. While everyone still seems to be leaning towards Jeff, things are still a bit up in the air as we head to Tribal Council.

And what a Tribal Council it is! We’re only four episodes in, true, but this is definitely in the running for best Tribal Council of the season. This was great! This was entertainment! This was magic to watch!

We start with the true start of Tribal Council: Big Creepy Bug! Seriously, Jeff Varner is giving Jeff Probst a standard sound-byte, when some giant bug from the depths of hell say “No way, Jose!”, and proceeds to fly right into Jeff Varner’s face, as well as at some of the other contestants as a warning shot. This is a hilarious way to open Tribal Council. I know some people might give the contestants here flack for flinching at a harmless bug, but I’m on their side. That bug was huge and in their respective faces! You’d flinch as well, mark my words. Our only standard bit is Jeff Varner talking about a toe injury he received during the previous challenge, but then we get to the highlight of the episode.

As I said, things are still a bit up in the air this Tribal Council, and I don’t mean just for the audience. This tribal uncertainty means that Jeff Varner and Woo have to plead their respective sides. And it is glorious. Not so much in how evenly matched these two wit-masters are (which they aren’t at all), but in just how gloriously Jeff Varner plays it. He comes out swinging, once again professing his loyalty, not just to the tribe, but to each individual sans Woo. But when Woo even TRIES to make a comeback, makes ANY point that’s contrary to Jeff Varner, he gets immediately shot down by Jeff Varner. Woo’s needed to win physical challenges? That makes him a threat. The merge is ages away? Woo can’t guarantee that. Jeff still had that slip up after last episode’s immunity challenge? At least Jeff voted with the majority. If Jeff is going home tonight, it’s a blaze of glory, and that’s why we love him. Jeff made every argument the best way he knew how. Even his fellow tribe mates seem stunned at his passion. I feel a bit bad for Woo, since he’s so outclassed, but I’m just so fascinated by Jeff Varner that I can’t help but love this scene. Definitely in the running for best Tribal Council of the season, and possibly of all-time. And the capper? During the debates, the sticking point with Woo was that he never swore loyalty to Abi-Maria. What does he do before the vote? Swear loyalty.

While I was pretty sure before Tribal Council that Jeff Varner was done for, his performance made me reconsider. Maybe he’s not… DANG IT! You got me again! Sure enough, despite his best efforts, Jeff goes home, which I would say is the smart decision. Well, maybe not for Abi-Maria or Woo, since they’re now solidly out of the majority, and in the case of the former, Jeff was her closest ally. In Abi-Maria’s case, though, she’s likely to be taken along by some other alliance, so it’s of little loss, and as for Woo, since it was either him or Jeff Varner, I can’t call it a terrible move for Woo. For everyone else? Jeff was the one controlling things on Ta Keo, uniting the various factions to suit his needs. Getting rid of him gets rid of a hard-playing strategic threat, and pretty much prevents the old Ta Keo from coming together again. Some smart individuals like Spencer or Kelley might be able to work their way decently far into the game, but the tribe as a whole. At this point, I say done for. Bayon wins.

Surprisingly, I’m not all that sorry to see Jeff go. True, I will miss his gameplay and his snakiness, but it felt like his time. We got what we wanted to get out of Jeff: a lot of funny confessionals and some hard-core gameplay. Would it have been nice to see more of? Maybe, but for what we got, Jeff went out in a blaze of glory, and had a really excellent, if short, run this season. He will be remembered with honor.

As a final note for the episode, I’ll say that I’m annoyed that they didn’t show Tasha’s “Jeff (Not Probst)” vote anywhere but the end credits. Not only would it have been funny as all-get-out, but it’s exactly what I would have written, had I been out there. Great moment I’m sorry didn’t get more recognition.

Can this season do no wrong? We’re four for four so far on great episodes, and I might go so far as to say this one’s the best yet. Yes, even with the Kass ambiguity, the episode had a lot of strategy, humor, and drama. What more could you ask for? Well, how about a…

TOP 10

Now, I’m sure a lot of you are saying “But Matt, you do ‘Top 5 and Bottom5’ lists, not Top 10’s!” Very astute, my readers who I’m talking for. The trouble hear is that I’d like to talk about my top Tribal Councils of all time (in terms of vote-off, not design), and it’s kind of hard to have a “Bottom 5” list for that, since it’d just be 5 Tribal Councils that are completely unmemorable. Basically, all of pre-merge “Survivor Fiji”. So, to make sure you get your content, I’m going to be listing my Top 10 Favorite Tribal Councils, based on what happened at them. My only caveat is that someone actually had to be voted off at this Tribal Council. None of this “Remembering and Evacuee” or quitting stuff. There’s a lot to cover, so let us dive in!

10. “Survivor Pearl Islands” Episode 10: This one lands on the list for very personal reasons. This is the episode where Rupert gets booted, and as mentioned before, I like Rupert. This makes it a hard episode for me to watch, particularly given the look of utter defeat on Rupert’s face as the votes just keep coming, but perhaps that’s why it stands out to me so much. It’s not exactly a happy memory, so it lands low on the list, but it stands out, so it should definitely be on the list.

9. “Survivor China” Episode 7: Another one that many people may think I’m overrating. This is the first episode of a fake idol play in the history of “Survivor”, when Jamie Dugan played the wrong symbol from atop the camp archway in a desperate attempt to save herself. Many will say, quite rightly, that this was a perfectly fine last-ditch move, and that there have been funnier fake idol plays in the show’s history, but this one came first, and it’s always stood out in my mind. I remember laughing so hard when I saw that this was even possible, and Probst just taking it so seriously makes it all the better!

8. “Survivor Borneo” Episode 7: Now, before I start getting hate comments, let me state, for the record, that if this was a list of the most SIGNIFICANT Tribal Councils of all time, Gretchen Cordy’s boot would definitely be #1 on the list. But it’s not that list, but a list of the BEST Tribal Councils, so it doesn’t make the top spot. Still, there’s plenty to like about this Tribal Council. I believe it holds the record for the most people voted for in a single round of voting, and even now it’s hard to see sweet, fan-favorite Gretchen get the axe. Really, the only reason it’s not higher up on the list is that it loses some impact when compared to how modern day “Survivor” is played. Still impactful, though.

7. “Survivor Redemption Island” Episode 3: Ah yes, how could one neglect the boot episode of Russell Hantz? I almost didn’t put this on the list, because the real coup de grace is in the next episode when he actually gets eliminated (thank you, Redemption Island twist), but this moment was still too sweet to leave off. After enduring two full seasons of Russell Hantz, and the start of the third one where we had to see the same aggravating game over and over, it was refreshing to see Russell called out on his poor gameplay, and to get his just desserts.

6. “Survivor Gabon” Episode 7: Another one I may remember more fondly than most people. This is the episode in which the second tribe swap happens, where Randy declares himself “King of Gabon”. I’m not sure I’ve talked about this before, but I’m a big fan of Ken Hoang from this season. He was a more than decent strategist whose only flaw was getting cocky towards the end (which I’m sure NO ONE ELSE has ever done). His personal growth over the season was great to watch, and it’s a testament to how good he was that, on a season where everybody hated everybody, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t like Ken. And this episode, he comes into his own. Marcus has been running the game pretty much from the get-go, so it was shocking and satisfying to see him get overthrown. This is Ken at his best, and that’s why I love it so much.

5. “Survivor Caramoan” Episode 10: This is the episode where Malcolm manages to get immunity for himself and his comrades, via two immunity idols. There’s something to be said for spectacle, and certainly that spectacle made this a memorable Tribal Council in and of itself. What puts it even higher up for me is that it has more than that. The last minute politicking at Tribal Council makes it all the more intriguing, the blatant calling out of strategies enjoyable, and the exit of Phillip “Special Agent?” Sheppard the icing on the cake. Just all around, a lot of sweet, Tribal Council goodness.

4. “Survivor Marquesas” Episode 8: If there WERE to be a contender for “Most Significant Tribal Council” other than the Gretchen boot on “Survivor Borneo”, it’d have to be episode 8 of “Survivor Marquesas”. The first ever “Totem Pole” shake-up of the show, this saw Neleh Dennis and Paschal English flip from the old Rotu after getting axed off early in a challenge. This episode changed the course of the game for the better, but even the Tribal Council itself was enjoyable. A great blindside, and a number of good moments. John’s emotional exit speech deserves mention, but the crowning moment is Sean Recotr’s “Chicken and Waffles” vote. That confessional is priceless.

3. “Survivor Exile Island” Episode 6: A lot of people forget about this one, but it’s one of the most emotional Tribal Councils I’ve ever seen. This is the Dan “Fuego” Barry, and no, it’s not surprising. But man, is it touching. Everyone knows Dan is going home, even Dan. Rather than hide it, they use the Tribal Council to showcase everything Dan has done. No, there’s no mystery, but there doesn’t need to be. And all capped off with everyone helping Dan take his torch to Probst in a show of unity. It’s hard to find a Tribal Council more touching than that.

2. “Survivor Cambodia” Episode 4: Yes, a lot of this is probably recency bias, and yes, in a while it’ll probably slide down the list, but that’s how I feel right now. It’s hard to find a Tribal Council more hilarious than this one, but is also has great maneuvering, excellent soundbytes, and the grand fall of a major player. All pretty good stuff, in my mind.

1. “Survivor Micronesia” Episode 13: Yep, the Erik Reichenbach boot. No way this wasn’t going on here. The most improbable event in “Survivor” history, and one not likely to be repeated in terms of surprise. Great confessional clips, a hilarious boot, and an improbable giving up off immunity at a stupid time not only make this the best Tribal Council of all time, but, for this moment alone, largely explains why “Survivor Micronesia” is a lot of people’s favorite season.

Honorable Mention: “Survivor Blood vs. Water” Episode 12: The first drawing of rocks since “Survivor Marquesas”. A very dramatic moment that deserves to be remembered. Why is it not on the list proper? Well, this is a bit of a cheat, but it was broadcast a little too loudly that they were going to rocks before the Tribal Council to add any tension to the proceedings. Still, give it what it’s worth, it WAS a memorable moment.

Let’s hope the streak keeps up in the weeks to come!

-Matt

Title Credit to Jean Storrs.

Idol Speculation: “Survivor Cambodia” Episode 3: The Lost Tribe of Angkor

For my frequent readers, I have a special treat: NO KASS! That’s right, apart from obviously mentioning where she ends up in the advertised tribe swap tonight, and mentioning if she’s involved in group conversations, I will not be talking about Kass disproportionately to her confessional time! The Kass fancying will not be present in this blog. Except obviously for this intro.

Unsurprisingly, we start off our new episode at Ta Keo, playing the game I like to call “Who’s setting themselves up!” You see, we as the audience know that a swap is coming, but others do not. Therefore, the “Survivor” editing team likes to set up a swap by having people give confessionals about how they’re either on the bottom and need a miracle, or are on the top and sitting pretty. Our big winners from Ta Keo are Spencer and Terry. Spencer, unsurprisingly, talks about how he wants to play a better game, but as he’s on the chopping block after Shirin, he’s not sure he’ll have that chance. Terry confirms this, while simultaneously also talking about how elated he is to be on top. Efficient man, that Terry.

At first, it seems like we won’t get a round of “Who’s setting themselves up?” for Bayon, since we cut straight to the area of tribe swap, and get our requisite clips about how the tribes are doing. However, we do hear in confessional from both Stephen and Savage about how elated they are and pissed off they are about the tribe swap, respectively. Savage in particular complains that a switch is what screwed him over on “Survivor Pearl Islands”, basically saying that everything was going great until the game cheated him. And here, I must pause to rag on Savage again. I can forgo gushing about how well my favorites are doing, but ragging on Savage is by now an “Idol Speculation” tradition of this season. My problem here is that what Savage is basically saying is “Twists suck, they ruin my game”. Now, in fairness to Savage, I get it. It’s frustrating to have a plan all laid out and then have the rug pulled out from under you for no reason at all. Savage has every right to be frustrated. Where I draw the line is where people say that twists are “unfair” and “ruin their game”. This is the point of twists. Apart from perhaps “Survivor Borneo”, “Survivor The Australian Outback”, and maybe even “Survivor Africa”, one goes into the game of “Survivor” knowing their are going to be twists. Therefore, you have no right to call them “unfair” when they mess you up. They’re part of the game. Deal with it. As Probst says, a large part of “Survivor” is adapting to changing situations. If you can’t handle that, then, well, maybe you’re not all that great a “Survivor” player.

And, for those Andrew Savage fans out there, don’t worry, I’ll be giving Savage a fair amount of praise later. Yes, really.

Anyway, back to the swap itself. Probst reveals, to no surprise for the audience, that, for the first time, “Survivor” is subdividing the tribes, rather than switching or combining the tribes. We now add the gold Angkor tribe to the mix, and I’m psyched. I’ve been advocating a variant of this twist for a while (de-merging a merged tribe, sure, but the principle of “create more tribes” is the same), and it does create some drama. That said, I do think this twist is a little bit unfair for those going to the Angkor tribe. Not so much in that they don’t have the rewards of either tribe (the extra-large bag of rice for Ta Keo and the fire-starting kit and tarp/comfort of Bayon), or even the fact that Angkor doesn’t get to loot the ship. But both Bayon and Ta Keo have pre-built shelters, whereas Angkor has to expend energy building a new shelter, which the other tribes don’t have to do. Frankly, this is unfair, and seeds Angkor for failure. Then again, as I have often said, “Survivor” isn’t about fairness. As we’ll see in this episode, this type of switch-up keeps everybody on their toes, and leads for interesting and unpredictable strategizing. This twist would get the “Idol Speculation” Seal of Approval, if such a thing existed.

The manner of switching would not get an “Idol Speculation” Seal of Approval, though. Once again, it’s a “draw random buffs” type of switch, and it just isn’t interesting to watch. I’ve complained about such basic switches before, but it really irks me here. This is a season with all returning players. The game should be amped up a notch. If you’re not going to give us a schoolyard pick, give us something innovative, something new.

Here’s an idea: Have everyone run an individual reward challenge, let’s say for a feast. Everyone gets to eat, but what meal you get is determined by how well you place in the challenge. After the feast, have everyone look under their plates. Under each plate is a new buff. Bam. A dynamic, new way of switching up the tribes, which could lead to a lot of new strategy (people getting to talk before the tribes are divided). You could even randomize the buffs under the plates, so that those who finished first are not all necessarily together.

One good thing I will say about this way of tribe division: it’s maybe the first time, outside of schoolyard picks, is that it’s maybe the first time the players have some agency in where they go. If you noticed, the little boxes they had people pick were color-coded. Some were Bayon pink, some were Ta Keo green, and some were Angkor gold. I may be wrong here, but as far as I could tell, buff color matched up with box color. Savvier players might have picked up on this, and used it to their advantage. Don’t ge me wrong, this way of dividing the tribes is still boring, but it’s a nice touch, making the color of the boxes more than just an aesthetic choice.

But enough stalling, time for the tribe breakdown. The new Bayon tribe consists of Stephen, Jeremy, Monica, Kimmi, Spencer, and Kelly. The new Ta Keo tribe consists of Keith, Joe, Kass, Ciera, Terry, and Kelley. And the new Royally Screwed tribe… I mean, Angkor tribe consists of Jeff, Woo, Abi-Maria, Peih-Gee, Savage, and Tasha. A decently even tribe division, in my eyes, though everyone goes on about how the new Ta Keo is the strongest tribe challenge-wise, which I can kind of see, since they’ve got challenge gods Terry and Joe, and nobody really drags the tribe down much (Keith and Kelley both being good physically for their size, and Kass and Ciera being puzzle beasts), but I’d say Angkor got most of the challenge beasts. True, they do have dead weight… I mean, Abi-Maria, but they’ve got Peih-Gee and Tasha as individual challenge dominators, and while Jeff isn’t the strongest, he’s still pretty good, plus Savage and Woo. Bayon physically is the weakest I’d say, with only Jeremy and Kelly standing out (though I think Kimmi does a fair job as well). Mentally, they’ve got a better shot since they have Stephen and Spencer on their side, with Monica as a backup. On the surface, it would seem that the old Bayon is set to dominate overall, having a 4-2 majority out of the three tribes. Only Angkor is good for Ta Keo, meaning once again, Savage is on the losing end of a twist, a fact that Probst is all to happy to point out. However, I’d say the only tribe where the old Bayon has an advantage is Ta Keo. Don’t really see any cracks there, but you’ve got a dissatisfied Stephen on the new Bayon, who could easily flip either Monica or Kimmi (or both), to join up with Kelly and Spencer, thus meaning Ta Keo has an advantage there. And, as mentioned, the Angkor tribe has a natural advantage for Ta Keo, with Jeff there to crack down on any dissension. Also, as a final note for the tribe division, I’m amazed that random chance gave each team three guys and three girls. I can’t even think of HOW to calculate the odds on that, but they must be astronomical.

In case we didn’t get that the Angkor tribe was screwed from the beginning, we get a lot of confessionals from said tribe about just how screwed they are. The camp sucks, it has no resources, and in the case of Savage and Tasha, they’re on the bottom. Tasha talk about not going down without a fight, which is what I like about her. Tasha keeps playing, never gives up, and often does a good job, which I really love. Sadly, at this point, I don’t think she has a chance. Already, Jeff is laying the seeds of their destruction, talking about how Savage is going to annoy him and is too much of a threat. Pretty much what you’d expect.

Speaking of expected confessionals, we cut over to Ta Keo, where we see that, after working his hammock voodoo again, the former Bayon who are now on Ta Keo continue to talk about just how good they are. Cairo of all people talks about how comfortable she is in her alliance, which must be a first in her “Survivor” experience. Kelley, like Tasha, is not willing to go down without a fight. Out of all the people returning for a second chance, with the exception of maybe Jeff Varner, I’d say she’s the one trying her hardest not to go out like she did last time. Rather than work with her tribemate like Tasha does, however, Kelley takes a different tactic. First she tries to win over Joe, but Joe’s having none of it, confident in his “Alpha Male” shields. Then, desperate to ingratiate herself with the old Bayon, she chats with Kass and Ciera about who of the old Ta Keo will go first, should they lose (which no one thinks likely). Kass and Ciera mention being afraid that Terry may have an idol, and therefore needing him to go, which Kelley latches on, throwing her tribemate under the bus. An understandable reaction, and she pulls it off well, but I’m not sure this is Kelley’s best move. I’m normally against sharing one’s idol, but in this case, Kelley might be justified in sharing it. The trouble is, on this small a tribe, throwing someone else under the bus only saves you for one vote, two in Kelley’s case, since she has the idol itself. But forming an alliance using the idol as a threat can keep you longer in the game, and give you more options come another tribe swap and/or merge. Still, since the new Ta Keo seems to have a challenge edge, one vote may be all Kelley needs to save herself.

Over at the new Bayon, there’s a bit of a surprise for me. Despite my earlier prediction that the former Bayon on the new Bayon might fracture, they seem to be holding together well. Stephen in particular talks about how this is saving him from elimination. Again, I’m a little bit surprised. Certainly, not wanting to rock the boat is a good thing, and bonding with one’s tribe, as Stephen seems to be doing with Jeremy, is recommended, but should the merge come with a Bayon majority, you’re probably still on the bottom, Stephen. Might be better to try and form a counter-alliance to take out some of the “Alpha-Male” alliance. To reiterate: I can’t fault Stephen’s gameplay at this point. Not rocking the boat is desirable. I just think he might be able to play a bit better even than just “ok”.

The real story, however, is with Spencer the Vulcan, who wants to understand this thing humans have called “emotion” He starts with Jeremy, opening up about his inability to say “I Love You” to a girlfriend, due to overthinking it. Jeremy, for his part, gives Spencer some sage romantic advice. It’s a cute little scene, and does show that Spencer is learning, and trying to correct his past mistakes. My only problem here is that Jeremy also says he wants to work with Spencer. I reiterate: WHY DOES EVERYONE WANT TO WORK WITH SPENCER?! This guys is a pretty decent strategist woodiest didn’t get to show it by always being on the bottom. He is dangerous! I agree with Jeff; you should be trying to vote him off.

Also, please note that “Spencer the Vulcan” was an alternate title of this blog.

Jeff Varner, in a hilarious scene, flips the weather the bird the next day at Angkor. Everyone else huddles in their miserable shelter, with once again Savage and Tasha being doubly miserable, since they’re on the bottom of the majority in a miserable shelter. Not for nothing, though, is Tasha’s determination. She talks with Abi-Maria whilst weaving some more palm fronds, building an emotional bond with her. Tasha noted earlier, after a weird minor altercation in the shelter, that Abi-Maria and Peih-Gee were not on the best terms with each other. Leaping on this, Tasha is able to win Abi-Maria over to her side, promising her revenge and protection at the merge. Ok, having changed alliances three times in three episodes, Abi-Maria is officially easy. Say a few nice things to her, and she’ll join your alliance. She’s good to have around because she can’t win, plus she’s an extra vote, so why not? Even with how easily Abi-Maria is swayed, props to Tasha for masterfully swinging her around. I KNEW there was a reason I had her as my female pick to win it all. With Vytas gone, I need her stick around to retain SOME credibility as somebody who knows stuff about “Survivor”

This plot won’t succeed if Jeff has anything to say about it, though. In an attempt to defuse any plans that Savage and Tasha may have, Jeff spins them a sob story about just wanting to make the jury, having barely missed out on it during his first season. This story is pure B.S., of course. Most anybody can see that Jeff is playing to win. Accept no substitutes. But Jeff’s main focus is just to make sure that Savage and Tasha don’t pull something with anyone else, and to that end, he’s checking in with his alliance to make sure they’re still solid. Jeff’s an obstacle that Tasha and Savage will have to overcome, if they’re to get anything going. Fortunately, Jeff will do their work for them in this area, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

Continuing to build tribal buddy-ness (if that’s even a word) with Jeremy, Kimmi, and Monica, Stephen tries a different tactic with his idol hunting, in what overall is his smartest move of the season. Despite his overall better position, Stephen still wants the idol for better security. However, idol hunting is part of what got him in trouble last time. So, Stephen tries a new tactic, framing finding the idol as a way to ensure Bayon victory, and as a good tribe bonding activity. Accordingly, all four of the new Bayon go searching for an immunity idol, purportedly for the tribe. Unfortunately for them all, particularly Stephen, it’s Jeremy who finds the clue, which says that the idol this time is hidden on the underside of a platform holding the third box for the challenge. The reason Jeremy finding the idol clue is a bad thing for old Bayon is that, despite Jeremy trying to change up his game, old habits die hard. Jeremy still wants to be top dog, and this time his way of doing it is by finding an idol. Jeremy makes it very clear that he has no intention of sharing the idol with his tribe, meaning that Stephen is now out an idol. However, Jeremy now has the problem, which he complains about, of trying to find the idol in the middle of a challenge without being seen.

Thankfully for Jeremy, this challenge happens to be particularly chaotic. It’s “Draggin’ the Dragons”, the first immunity challenge from “Survivor Cagayan”. If you’ll recall, this challenge has tribes retrieving keys from poles to unlock three chests of puzzle pieces, one at a time, and load them onto a cart. At one point, the cart must be disassembled, moved through a wall, and then reassembled. After moving the cart over a series of obstacles, the tribes must then open the chests to solve a puzzle, the first two tribes to do so winning immunity. I was pretty positive about this challenge when I talked about it on “Survivor Cagayan”, but I’m even more wild about it here. While it was a fun challenge, in retrospect it seems a bit too small for a “first immunity challenge”. As a third immunity challenge, though? It’s great! It’s a tough challenge with a cool-looking puzzle (the hole in the middle is nice) where it’s easy to tell who’s in first, second, and third. A lot of good action, just a nice challenge to see again.

Before getting to the challenge itself, we have the matter of immunity idols to take care of. With three tribes, we now need two immunity idols. While I do prefer it that, in such cases, you have one idol that splits into multiple idols, I do like here that the idols aren’t identical, but are actually mirror images of each other. That’s actually a pretty cool idea, as well as a clever reference to the previous immunity challenge.

The challenge gets underway, and as I’ve made no secret of before now, it’s pretty clear that Angkor is going to lose. Apart from having the worst camp of the three, they’re also the ones we’ve really heard strategy from. To their credit, though, Angkor puts up a pretty good fight, keeping pace with Bayon for most of the challenge. Ta Keo wins by a decent margin at the end, but the battle for second is close enough, plus Jeremy’s excellently-executed idol grab making for some potential drama, that I could see Bayon losing. Sure enough, though, Angkor ends up losing as expected. I’ll give the episode credit for still managing to build tension, though. But now we come to the fall of Jeff Varner.

Jeff’s fall comes not from the playbook of Jonathan Penner (“Survivor Cook Islands”), as I had speculated it might, but rather from the playbook of Travis “Bubba” Sampson of “Survivor Vanuatu”. Yeah, remember him? The guy who was safe until he tried to signal the other tribe, and got an early boot as a result? The guy whose game you would NEVER want to emulate? Well, for whatever insane reason, Jeff decides that this is EXACTLY what he wants to do, and so mouths some words towards Kelly over on Bayon. No idea what he was saying (he was annoyingly NOT subtitled), but his mouth movements are so obvious that Tasha calls him out on it. Probst has the tribe discuss this after the challenge, which leads to Savage and Tasha asking Jeff how their alliances with him stand, which leads everyone ELSE to question where Jeff’s alliance with them stands. BUSTED! Jeff’s going to need to do some serious scheming to pull himself out of this one.

Or, since he’s on a tribe with Abi-Maria, he could just wait five minutes. Seriously, for all that I’ve praised Jeff this season thus far, I’m disappointed that it’s really only due to a change in interpersonal dynamics, which Jeff had no influence on, that saved him. Granted, it could be argued that had Jeff schemed, it would only have put him in a worse position, but it seems like a real step backward for the guy who always seems to have the answer this season.

How did this miraculous change of fortune come about? Well, it starts with a brilliant bit of gameplay from Andrew Savage. Yes, Savage-fans, this is the praise I was talking about. Tasha’s already swayed Abi-Maria pretty firmly (Abi-Maria will later swear undying loyalty to Tasha and Savage. Like I said: Abi-Maria=Easy), but that still only means a 3-3 tie, and Peih-Gee and Woo are both pretty tight with Varner. So Savage pretty masterfully capitalizes on Jeff’s slip up after the challenge, and talks up how untrustworthy Jeff is to Peih-Gee and Woo, saying that they could easily vote him out tonight 5-1. And the pair actually consider it! Give the man credit, it takes some doing, even with a gaffe of Jeff’s caliber, to convince firm allies to even CONSIDER flipping on someone they’re so close to, particularly when they have an easy majority this way. Savage, for all that I’ve bashed you this season, and may potentially bash you in the future, this was a really good strategic moment for you. My compliments.

Abi-Maria, Peih-Gee, and Woo all congregate, as the swing votes, to decide whether to vote out Jeff or to flip back to Jeff and vote out either Savage or Tasha. Things go south, however, because of Peih-Gee’s handling of Abi-Maria. The latter is still upset that Peih-Gee voted for her, and admits that she’s sworn loyalty to Savage and Tasha. This pretty much makes up the minds of Peih-Gee and Woo, since they’re smart enough to always stick in the majority, but the pari are naturally not happy that Abi-Maria doesn’t want to work with them, and so campaign to get Abi-Maria off first, still giving Savage and Tasha a majority. Abi-Maria, for her part, campaigns to get Peih-Gee off, pulling Jeff into the mix. And so, through no fault of his own, Jeff is saved. Again, an odd parallel to “Survivor Vanuatu”, since this is pretty much what saved Chris Daugherty when he played. Granted, I feel like Chris had a BIT more agency in his saving, but perhaps that’s personal bias.

At Tribal Council, Jeff actually DOES have to answer for his attempt to contact Kelly. He claims it was an emotional reaction after losing a challenge, and that it doesn’t mean anything. And I must ask, what fresh BULLSHIT is this? I can’t BELIEVE that people seem to be buying this story. It’s such an implausible story that I’m surprised people don’t just rally to vote Jeff off then and there. that would be the smart thing to do, but it does seem to boil down to Peih-Gee or Abi-Maria. Guess having a hyphenated first name on the Angkor tribe dooms you. The rest of Tribal Council is fairly standard, with a description of how crazy it is that Savage and Tasha, the people who should be on the outs, are now on the top. Props to both of them, by the way, that’s amazing gameplay. Especially from Tasha, in my opinion, since she REALLY swung Abi-Maria masterfully, but Savage deserves credit as well. Abi-Maria and Peih-Gee both give their cases as to why they should stay, which seem to center around being hard workers at camp, and being fully on board with the new tribe.

Thankfully, a somewhat standard Tribal Council isn’t too important, as for once going into the vote, I have no idea who’s going home. Ok, it’s probably either Peih-Gee or Abi-Maria, but I could still see scenarios where Jeff, Tasha, or even Savage goes home! Heck, Woo is the only person I’m 100% certain is safe tonight! But even if it really is down to either Peih-Gee or Abi-Maria, I’m not sure who it is. Between the two, Abi-Maria has had more screentime, so the editing suggests she goes, but Savage and Tasha are not idiots, and between those two, getting rid of Penh-Gee is the smarter vote. She’s much more likely to go back to Jeff than Abi-Maria is, and even if she does go back, Abi-Maria is easily swayed. I still say the best overall move is to get rid of Jeff, and it’d be possible as well. With Jeff and Abi-Maria voting Peih-Gee, and Peih-Gee and Woo voting Abi-Maria, Tasha and Savage could vote for Jeff. Then, on a re-vote, only Savage, Tasha, and Woo would be allowed to vote, meaning the two “Jeff” votes of Savage and Tasha would win the day. Granted, this gives them less of a clear majority, but I feel like the resentment between Abi-Maria and Peih-Gee would be exploitable enough to keep Tasha and Savage safe anyway. Still, if it must be Abi-Maria or Peih-Gee, it’s much smarter to vote off Peih-Gee.

Like I said, Tasha and Savage are not idiots, and so they make the smart choice in this scenario. Peih-Gee goes home (with everyone writing her name as “P.G.” for some stupid reason), and while it was smart for Tasha and Savage, I must admit, I’m sorry to see people go. Peih-Gee is a decent strategist who got overshadowed during her first run (not unlike Tasha, now I think of it), and it would have been interesting to see how she did a second time around. Granted, her interpersonal skills are not the best. She’s prone to getting into fights, and I’d say it’s what did her in this time around. But still, I can’t help but like Peih-Gee, at least on a certain level.

Three episodes in, and they’ve all been great so far. Apart from possibly the cheapness of the twist this time around, this was a dynamic episode where we saw new strategies form, new moves and gaffes be made, and new players rise to the top. A pretty fun watch. Let’s keep that momentum going!

-Matt

Title Credit to Jean Storrs.